Dolores County Colorado Hunting Accident

Rich M

Very Active Member
Oct 16, 2012
758
566
Yes - lots of speculation. Wish we could err on the side of knowing what happened and we likely never will. Court hearing might provide light but a whole bunch of lives are already ruined because of this.

I don't know what one of those decoys looks like in the woods... Guess I'm grasping at this one as it is the only legit excuse I have heard that makes sense for the guy getting shot.
 
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Don K

Very Active Member
Sep 10, 2011
664
22
Northern Illinois
Sad deal, going to be tough for all the families.

Is there not rifle season for Bear also in Sept?

I read there is 44,000 Bowhunters and 30,000 MZ hunters chasing elk in Sept.

How many hunters get shot each year?

How many people die of car accidents each year?

This really is a issue of not identifying your target. This very well may not have been any different even if the hunter was wearing orange. Orange "may" have helped but nobody will ever know except the hunters involved.

This could have been a MZ hunter killing a MZ hunter.....
 
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taskswap

Very Active Member
Jul 9, 2018
523
379
Colorado
I hope I don't offend anyone who does travel for their opportunities but I feel like there's also an aspect of that in some of these reports. The temptation to take a nice deer or elk must be strong for anybody... But add a long trip from Texas and the extra cost and time off work involved and it's got to be an extra factor. Not saying that means anything should change related to that, just observing the possible factors...
 

ScottR

Eastmans' Staff / Moderator
Staff member
Feb 3, 2014
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I hope I don't offend anyone who does travel for their opportunities but I feel like there's also an aspect of that in some of these reports. The temptation to take a nice deer or elk must be strong for anybody... But add a long trip from Texas and the extra cost and time off work involved and it's got to be an extra factor. Not saying that means anything should change related to that, just observing the possible factors...
With the sheer number of people hunting from out of state in CO, this certainly could be an issue. Motives to not go home empty handed are a serious piece of the pie, the idea of a "meat buck" for residents is present too. Ego about killing for X number of years straight drives the R and NR hunters alike, add in the cost and there is certainly a motivating factor there.

Wyoming to some degree addresses this with point numbers requirements to allow bucks to make it a few years. However, that doesn't always fix the problem when you have concurrent seasons.
 

Kelfrog

New Member
Oct 2, 2021
1
1
As several have pointed out, long travels ups the want/need to go home with a filled tag. I believe it was the 7th day of muzzle season, could've been a long, hard season for the shooter. However, it is simple hunter safety basics; not confirming your target and what is beyond. If he had a bull tag, it needs to be a 4 point or larger or a spike with a 5" brow tine. Obviously he didn't confirm that. If he had a cow tag, shooting at 'a patch of white' doesn't confirm if the target was a cow or a bull or a giraffe. Prayers to all of the families involved.
 
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Hunter mom

New Member
Oct 17, 2021
7
8
As several have pointed out, long travels ups the want/need to go home with a filled tag. I believe it was the 7th day of muzzle season, could've been a long, hard season for the shooter. However, it is simple hunter safety basics; not confirming your target and what is beyond. If he had a bull tag, it needs to be a 4 point or larger or a spike with a 5" brow tine. Obviously he didn't confirm that. If he had a cow tag, shooting at 'a patch of white' doesn't confirm if the target was a cow or a bull or a giraffe. Prayers to all of the families involved.
Thank you very much! This is totally the only issue!! I am the downed hunter’s mother and am very angry over this whole incident of stupidity.
Had no idea the last time I hugged my son it would be the last time I would see him alive! He thought he was going off to do something he loved and have a good time out in nature. He was so excited about the trip!
 

Hunter mom

New Member
Oct 17, 2021
7
8
Thank you very much! This is totally the only issue!! I am the downed hunter’s mother and am very angry over this whole incident of stupidity.
Had no idea the last time I hugged my son it would be the last time I would see him alive! He thought he was going off to do something he loved and have a good time out in nature. He was so excited about the trip!
Also.. my son did not use a decoy on his bow as some have speculated.
 
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Hunter mom

New Member
Oct 17, 2021
7
8
It's amazing what happens in the woods.

I and a buddy were hunting opposite ends of a 400+ yard long road. I was on one side about 75 yards and he on the other but at opposite end. We had an agreement that he'd stay in stand until I got there and we'd walk out. Trying to be safe. I got out of stand at about 1030 and made way to the road and there is a large WT buck about 200 yards up from me. Drop and get prone to shoot and see orange dot (hat) moving around at the far end of the road overt the deer's back. Deer stood there watching him do his thing and never saw me but I would not shoot, knowing buddy was moving around down there. Amazing how vivid those kind of memories are.


Back to the CO incident. I seen somewhere that the archery guy may have had an elk decoy on his bow - anyone heard that?
He did not have a decoy.
 
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Hilltop

Veteran member
Feb 25, 2014
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Eastern Nebraska
Thank you very much! This is totally the only issue!! I am the downed hunter’s mother and am very angry over this whole incident of stupidity.
Had no idea the last time I hugged my son it would be the last time I would see him alive! He thought he was going off to do something he loved and have a good time out in nature. He was so excited about the trip!
You have my families prayers. We are all very sorry for your loss. If there is anything we can help with, please let us know.
 

87TT

Very Active Member
Apr 23, 2013
593
1,052
Idaho
The shooter should be in jail, period. No excuse for it what so ever. Orange wouldn't fix stupid. The seasons should be separated. Modern Muzzleloaders (not to be confused with true primitive) should be part of the regular rifle. A primitive season should be separate from archery.
 
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wy-tex

Veteran member
May 2, 2016
1,059
341
SE Wyoming
As with others here my thoughts and prayers are up for your family.

I heard news of another accident in Western Wyoming just this past weekend, a friend's daughter and son in law came across an incident where a 14 year old accidently shot his Dad. Haven't heard anything about this yet in the news though. Really hope it is not true but I know it is.
 

Colorado Cowboy

Super Moderator
Jun 8, 2011
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Dolores, Colorado
The shooter should be in jail, period. No excuse for it what so ever. Orange wouldn't fix stupid. The seasons should be separated. Modern Muzzleloaders (not to be confused with true primitive) should be part of the regular rifle. A primitive season should be separate from archery.
Don't you mean if he is convicted during a trial....then a Judge sentences according to the charges and penalties.
 

87TT

Very Active Member
Apr 23, 2013
593
1,052
Idaho
Nope. If he bails out he can wait at home but until he bails he can sit in jail and think about what he has done. Why should the county have to pay to hunt him down and bring him back? Being from out of state that should be a no brainer.
 

Colorado Cowboy

Super Moderator
Jun 8, 2011
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Dolores, Colorado
If I remember my government classes from school, the basis for our justice system is everyone is innocent until proven guilty. The person charged is entitled to bail (in the Judge's opinion) and their day in court.

The problem is that we don't know the details of what happened and the circumstances. The only thing we do know is what the Dolores County Sheriff has said in his press releases. We probably won't know the details until trial and if he pleads guilty, we might not know much more. Lots of misinformation on social media. It was a horrible thing and if person charged in the killing is found guilty (or pleads guilty), they deserve punishment.
 

Winchester

Veteran member
Mar 27, 2014
2,464
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Woodland Park, Colorado
^^ You nailed it CC. All we really know is there was a terrible, tragic accident. The info we read in social media or even on this forum is innuendo, not fact.
My sympathies go out to the family of the young hunter who was killed. However, we don't know enough to presume guilt. We have to let the Sherriff & Judge gather the facts and do their jobs.
 
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